As a daily straphanger in the most populous city in the United States, I've spent my fair share of time on a subway train.

And if you've ever been to New York City -- or seen The Taking of Pelham 123 remake this year in theaters -- you'll know that it's a dark, dreary experience in most of the city's stations.

In an attempt to improve the underground experience of riding the subway, some cities have created fantastic works of art to entertain riders as jostle through crowds to get on a train.

DesignBoom has assembled a collection of some of the best: Shanghai's Bund Sightseeing tunnel, which is a 2,100-ft. tunnel with a stunning multicolored light display; Stockholm's subway system, whose stations have "primordial" art installations by Per Olof Ultvedt; Tokyo's playful Iidabashi Station; and Prague's Lego-like Line A, along with six more from Spain, Canada, Russia, China, United Arab Emirates and Germany.

It's a great marriage of design and functionality that makes the daily commute a better experience.